FIABCI-USA, the International Real Estate Federation – U.S. Chapter held a Luncheon in the private delegates’ dining room at the United Nations on Friday March 27 to address the continuing need for cross-border cooperation in international property markets. FIABCI enjoys special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations and regularly address real estate issues at UN offices around the world.

Local international real estate expert WENDY ANDERSON of Winter Park, FLattended the luncheon and gained valuable insights into the increasing interest of global investors in US real estate. This interest has recently been expanding to second and third tier cities around the country. The Luncheon featured speakers from the International Monetary Fund, the Center for International Private Enterprise and the Global Indicators Group of the World Bank. The Luncheon followed a daylong, high-level global conference focused on global capital flows held in cooperation with FIABCI Academic Member the George Washington University School of Business.

Hites Ahir, Senior Research Officer at the International Monetary Fund introduced the Global Housing Watch a new IMF initiative that tracks global housing prices, credit availability and housing price-to-income ratios. Frank Stroker, Assistant Program Officer at the Center for International Private Enterprise looked at the importance of democracy and entrepreneurs to economic development. Finally Laura Diniz, Operations Analyst from the Doing Business Unit of the World Bank updated the attendees on FIABCI’s cooperation with the World Bank on collecting data on property rights using its extensive networks around the world.

FIABCI World Robyn Waters was a featured speaker at the George Washington University conference addressing global real estate development opportunities, especially in her native Australia. Investing in direct and indirect real estate has been globalizing at a rapid pace over the past two decades. There is more competition among capital providers, more investment opportunities and providers need to make even more informed decisions about where and in what type of real estate they invest.

“I am extremely pleased to have ended my term as FIABCI-USA President with this outstanding opportunity to examine the condition of international property markets and be a part of this organization that has been active in the UN since 1954,” noted Edward Alford of South Hadley, MA who passed the FIABCI-USA President’s Gavel to Ruth Kruger of Aspen, CO at the conclusion of these meetings. The next FIABCI event will be the 66th FIABCI World Congress held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from May 26-31.

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FIABCI-USA, the International Real Estate Federation – US Chapter provides access and opportunity for real estate professionals interested in gaining knowledge, sharing information and conducting international business. With members in 65 countries, including 100 Professional Associations, 65 Academic Institutions and 3000 individual members from all professions of the real estate sector, FIABCI is the most representative organization of the real estate industry in the world and holds special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. For more information about FIABCI-USA use the contact above or visit www.fiabci-usa.com/.